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United States Patent |
5,722,940
|
Gaylord, Jr.
,   et al.
|
March 3, 1998
|
Industrial back support
Abstract
A back support device for supporting a wearer's back during various
activities is described. The back support device includes an inner belt,
and outer substantially inelastic belt, and a semi-rigid abdominal plate
positioned beneath the outer substantially inelastic belt. The back
support device is designed to be positioned circumferentially about a
wearer's waist or lower torso region, such that the abdominal plate
overlies an abdominal region of the wearer, with the substantially
inelastic belt securing the abdominal plate firmly in position thereon, in
order to increase the intraabdominal pressure and thereby support the
wearer's lower spine. The inner belt is desirably substantially elastic in
order that it closely conforms to the wearer's body and assists in
increasing the intraabdominal pressure. The back support device also
desirably includes a lumbosacral pad, which can be positioned within a
pocket located on a rear portion of the back support device, to thereby
correspond with the wearer's lower spinal region and to provide effective
contact between the inelastic belt of the device and the spine due to the
spine's natural curvature in the lumbar region.
Inventors:
|
Gaylord, Jr.; John F. (Matthews, NC);
Gaylord; R. Scott (Matthews, NC)
|
Assignee:
|
Medical Specialties, Inc. (Charlotte, NC)
|
Appl. No.:
|
680998 |
Filed:
|
July 16, 1996 |
Current U.S. Class: |
602/19; 2/44; 128/96.1 |
Intern'l Class: |
A61F 005/02 |
Field of Search: |
602/19
128/96.1,99.1,100.1,101.1,106.1,107.1,112.1,113.1,115.1
2/44
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
3927665 | Dec., 1975 | Wax | 602/19.
|
4245628 | Jan., 1981 | Eichler | 602/19.
|
4696291 | Sep., 1987 | Tyo | 602/19.
|
4794916 | Jan., 1989 | Porterfield et al. | 602/19.
|
5012798 | May., 1991 | Graf et al. | 602/19.
|
5207636 | May., 1993 | Striano | 602/19.
|
5267948 | Dec., 1993 | Elliott | 602/19.
|
5547462 | Aug., 1996 | Lanigan et al. | 602/19.
|
Primary Examiner: Donnelly; Jerome
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Bell Seltzer Intellectual Property Law Group of Alston & Bird, LLP
Claims
What claimed is:
1. A back support device comprising:
an elongate elastic inner belt including a first fastener means for
securing the belt about a waist of a wearer;
an elongate substantially inelastic outer belt secured to said inner belt
in a substantially overlying relationship thereto;
a semi-rigid abdominal plate positioned beneath said substantially
inelastic outer belt; and
a second fastener means for securing said outer substantially inelastic
belt circumferentially about a waist of a wearer in a substantially
continuous overlying relationship with respect to the circumferential
direction of said abdominal plate such that said inelastic outer belt
biases the abdominal plate against an abdominal region of a wearer and
said abdominal plate distributes pressure applied by the outer
substantially inelastic belt to underlying regions of a wearer's body to
thereby increase intraabdominal pressure and providing concerted support
for the lumbar region of the spine.
2. The back support device according to claim 1, wherein said semi-rigid
abdominal plate is sized to extend across substantially the entire
abdominal region of a wearer, while avoiding any bony prominences of a
wearer's hipbones.
3. The back support device according to claim 1, further comprising a
lumbosacral pad positioned on said device and adapted to provide effective
contact between the lumbar region of the spine of a wearer and the
inelastic outer belt.
4. The back support device according to claim 1, wherein said inner belt is
elastic, to conform closely to a wearer's body.
5. The back support device according to claim 1, further comprising a
pocket positioned on said inner belt and adapted to receive a lumbosacral
pad.
6. The back support device according to claim 1, wherein said abdominal
plate is relatively wider than said substantially inelastic outer belt
such that forces from said outer belt are distributed over regions of a
wearer not covered by said outer belt by way of said abdominal plate.
7. The back support device according to claim 1, wherein said inner belt
defines a longitudinal axis and further comprising a plurality of stays
positioned substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis such that
said stays extend vertically when said inner belt is positioned
circumferentially about a wearer's waist.
8. A back support device for supporting a wearer's lower back and
encouraging proper biomechanics comprising:
an elongate elastic inner belt including fastening means for securing said
belt circumferentially about a person's waist;
a lumbosacral pad receiving means positioned proximate a central portion of
said inner belt;
a semi-rigid abdominal plate positioned on said inner belt remote from said
lumbosacral pad receiving means and adapted to overlie a wearer's
abdominal region when said inner belt is positioned circumferentially
about a person's waist, and
a substantially inelastic outer belt connected to the inner belt and
including fastening means operatively connecting ends of the outer belt
together for securing and tensioning said belt circumferentially about a
wearer's waist, said outer belt being secured to said inner belt such that
said outer belt substantially continuously overlies said semi-rigid
abdominal plate in the circumferential direction when said inner and outer
belts are positioned to extend circumferentially about a wearer's waist,
such that said substantially inelastic outer belt biases the abdominal
plate against an abdominal region of a wearer and said abdominal plate
distributes pressure applied by the outer substantially inelastic outer
belt to underlying regions of a wearer's body, to increase intraabdominal
pressure.
9. The back support device according to claim 8, wherein said inner belt is
elastic and said outer belt is relatively narrower than said inner belt
and said abdominal plate, such that forces from said outer belt are
distributed over regions of a wearer not covered by the outer belt by said
abdominal plate.
10. The back support device according to claim 8, wherein said abdominal
plate comprises a plastic material and is approximately 0.02-0.5 of an
inch thick.
11. The back support device according to claim 8, further comprising a
lumbosacral pad positioned proximate said lumbosacral pad receiving means
to provide effective contact between the inelastic outer belt of the
support device and a wearer's lumbar spine.
12. The back support device according to claim 11, wherein said lumbosacral
pad is made from a moldable plastic material.
13. The back support device according to claim 11, wherein said lumbosacral
pad comprises a gel pad.
14. The back support device according to claim 8, wherein said semi-rigid
abdominal plate is sized to extend across substantially the entire
abdominal region of a wearer, while avoiding any bony prominences of a
wearer's hipbones.
15. The back support device according to claim 8, wherein said semi-rigid
abdominal plate comprises a moldable plastic material.
16. A back support device for supporting a wearer's lower back comprising:
an elongate substantially elastic inner belt including fastening means for
securing said belt circumferentially about a person's waist, said inner
belt tapering from a central relatively wider portion to first and second
relatively narrower end portions;
a lumbosacral pad positioned proximate said central relatively wider
portion of said inner belt for filling void space proximate a wearer's
lumbar region;
a semi-rigid abdominal plate positioned on said inner belt proximate one of
said first and second end portions; and
a substantially inelastic outer belt connected to the inner belt and having
opposite ends, said outer belt including fastening means operatively
connecting the ends of the outer belt together for securing said outer
belt circumferentially about a wearer's waist, said outer belt being
relatively narrower than said inner belt and being secured on said inner
belt such that when the inner and outer belts are positioned to extend
circumferentially about a wearer's waist, the outer belt overlies an
entire circumferential dimension of the abdominal plate and thereby biases
the abdominal plate toward an underlying region of a wearer's body such
that said abdominal plate distributes pressure applied by the outer belt
to underlying portions of a wearer's body.
17. The back support device according to claim 16, wherein said
substantially inelastic outer belt comprises first and second belt strap
portions which cooperate to form the outer belt, said first and second
belt strap portions being secured to said inner belt such that one
overlaps the other proximate the lumbosacral pad, to thereby provide
support for an underlying region of a wearer's body.
18. The back support device according to claim 16, wherein said semi-rigid
abdominal plate has a length of about 4-8 inches, a width of about 4-6
inches, and a thickness of about 0.02-0.5 inches, to thereby provide a
semi-rigid plate which covers the abdominal region of a wearer without
interfering with any bony prominences of a wearer's hip bones.
19. The back support device according to claim 16, further comprising a
handle positioned proximate one of said first and second end portions of
said inner belt for assisting a wearer in donning the device.
20. The back support device according to claim 16, wherein said inner belt
includes right and left band portions, each of which includes first and
second band portion sections which are positioned in an overlapping
relationship at an angle with respect to each other such that said inner
belt tapers from said central relatively wider portion to said first and
second relatively narrower end portions.
21. The back support device according to claim 16, wherein said semi-rigid
abdominal plate comprises a moldable plastic material.
22. The back support according to claim 1, wherein said outer belt
comprises two straps which are directly connectable to each other so as to
thereby completely encircle a wearer's waist.
23. The back support according to claim 1, wherein said semi-rigid
abdominal plate has a widthwise dimension which is perpendicular to the
circumferential direction of the inner belt, and wherein the outer belt is
positioned to overlie a medial portion of the widthwise dimension of the
plate.
24. The back support according to claim 1, wherein said inner belt has
opposite end portions of a predetermined widthwise extent, and wherein
said semi-rigid plate has a widthwise extent which is substantially equal
to the widthwise extent of the opposite end portions.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to an industrial back support, and more
specifically, to an industrial back support which provides a concerted
combination of abdominal and lower back support.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Back injuries have become one of the leading causes of disability. At some
point in their lives, most individuals will suffer from back pain of one
sort or another; such pain can be long-lasting and debilitating for many
people. The causes of back pain are varied: for some people, a one-time
over-stressing of back muscles and ligaments can cause lasting pain. For
others, the pain can be caused by naturally poor posture or by jobs or
hobbies which require that they assume certain positions, in particular,
for long periods of time. For still others, motions such as bending,
lifting, and the like which are repeatedly performed can cause back
discomfort, particularly when proper body alignment is not maintained
throughout the motion.
To help reduce the occurrence of such injuries, federal workplace
guidelines, as well as many employers, often require that employees
engaged in particular jobs wear back support devices of some variety.
Examples of prior art back supports are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,421,809, 5,388,274, and 4,475,543 to Rise, Glover et al., and Brooks et
al., respectively. Each of these patents describes a support device which
provides direct support for a wearer's spinal region through the provision
of a pad proximate a wearer's lower back.
It has been found, however, that the abdominal muscles play a large part in
the support of a person's spine, and thus the aforementioned supports, by
only providing support to a wearer's spinal region, have failed to provide
optimal back support for their wearers. Further, because the majority of
the human waist region is fleshy, its configuration changes during certain
motions, such as bending, due to muscle contraction and the like. Thus,
because the aforementioned patents describe rigid support directly
proximate the lower spine only, their effectiveness in supporting a
person's back during certain motions can tend to be limited.
Several other patents describe supports which include some type of
abdominal support, e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,433,697 and 5,105,806 to
Woodhouse et al., and Cox, respectively. The patent to Woodhouse et al.,
describes the provision of a rigid abdominal pad for securement to a
conventional leather-type weight lifting belt; thus the device would
likely not provide the comfort and support levels desired for many uses.
The patent to Cox describes a back brace having first and second
substantially rigid dome-shaped support elements, one for positioning
proximate a wearer's back and the other for positioning proximate his
abdomen. The rigid support elements are secured together by first and
second fastening belts. The support element for positioning proximate the
wearer's abdomen is sized to extend across the full width of the front
lower torso region of the wearer, and in a preferred form of the
invention, it curves around the wearer's sides to some degree; thus it
would limit user flexibility and could tend to irritate the prominences of
the ilium (hip bones).
Thus, a need exists for an industrial back support device which provides an
optimal amount of back support, yet is comfortable to wear.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the foregoing in mind, it is therefore an object of the present
invention to provide a back support device which provides proper support
for a person's lumbar spine during various types of activities.
In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a back
support device which encourages proper biomechanics during bending and
lifting motions, and which is comfortable for the wearer.
The back support device according to the instant invention desirably
includes an inner belt which is adapted to extend circumferentially about
a wearer's waist or lower torso region. In a preferred form of the
invention, the inner belt is substantially elastic (i.e. at least a
portion of the belt is stretchable), such that the belt readily conforms
to the wearer's body and provides some increase in intraabdominal
pressure. Also in a preferred form of the invention, the inner belt tapers
from a relatively greater width proximate the wearer's back to a
relatively narrower width proximate the front of a wearer, in order that
the belt comfortably conforms to the wearer's body.
An outer substantially inelastic belt is secured to the inner belt in an
overlying relationship, so that the outer belt can be secured
circumferentially about a wearer's waist region in a layered relationship
with the inner belt. Because of its inelasticity, this outer belt is
preferably narrower than the inner belt, in order that it will not be
unduly constrictive or uncomfortable to the wearer. The inner belt can be
formed from a single strip of material, or can be formed from a number of
strips of material which cooperate to form the inner belt.
A semi-rigid abdominal plate is positioned on the back support device such
that it will overlie a portion of a wearer's abdominal region when the
support is positioned circumferentially about a wearer's waist region. The
position of the semi-rigid abdominal plate on the back support device is
also such that it will underlie at least a portion of the outer
substantially inelastic belt. In this way, when the substantially
inelastic belt is tightened about a wearer's waist, it biases the
abdominal plate towards the wearer's abdominal region, to thereby increase
the wearer's intraabdominal pressure. As a result, proper biomechanics are
encouraged (i.e. the wearer's spine is supported in proper alignment.)
The semi-rigid abdominal plate is desirably sufficiently rigid that it
distributes pressure applied by the substantially inelastic belt to the
underlying portions of the wearer's body, but preferably possesses some
flexibility in order that it will not be uncomfortable to the wearer. The
abdominal plate also desirably has a relatively low profile in order that
the device will be comfortable and its appearance will not be undesirably
obtrusive, and has dimensions sized to cover a substantial portion of the
wearer's abdominal region, yet avoid interference with any of the bony
prominances of the ilium. In one embodiment of the invention, the
abdominal plate is custom molded using conventional custom molding
processes to accommodate the unique shape of the abdominal region of the
wearer.
The back support device also preferably has a lumbosacral pad positioned on
the device such that it corresponds to the lumbar (i.e. lower spinal)
region of a wearer. This lumbosacral pad is adapted to fill the void
located between the inelastic straps of the back support device and a
wearer's spine which occurs as a result of the natural curvature of a
person's spine and position of the adjacent musculature. This effective
contact helps generate additional circumferencial force to further
increase intraabdominal pressure. The lumbosacral pad can be selected to
provide additional benefits; for example, a gel pack could be provided for
applying hot and cold therapy to the wearer, or a custom molded plate
could be provided to accommodate the unique shape of the lumbar region of
the wearer. In a preferred form of the invention, a pocket is formed on
the inner belt which is sized to receive such a lumbosacral pad; in this
way, pads can be selectively interchanged or removed for heating, cooling,
and molding.
The back support also desirably includes first and second substantially
rigid stays which extend vertically along opposite sides of the pocket
which receives the lumbosacral pad, to provide additional support for the
wearer's back and for the back support device, and to reinforce the
junctures of the pocket with the rest of the inner belt. Third and fourth
stays are also desirably secured to the pocket itself, to provide greater
rigidity to this area of the support. These stays can be formed from
spring steel, hardened plastic, or the like.
In a preferred form of the invention, the pocket portion of the inner belt
is made from substantially inelastic material, such as woven nylon. First
and second elastic bands, which have a lesser vertical width than that of
the pocket, are secured so that they extend straight outwardly from upper
ends of the pocket structure. Because the elastic bands have a lesser
width than the pocket structure, they terminate short of a lower end of
the pocket. Third and fourth elastic bands, which are preferably of the
same construction as the first and second elastic bands, are secured to
opposite sides of the pocket structure proximate its lower end, such that
they extend outwardly from the pocket structure at angles thereto and such
that each of the third and fourth bands overlaps its adjacent first or
second elastic band. In this way, the inner belt is made to have a tapered
configuration so that the vertical width of the structure is less
proximate the wearer's abdominal region than proximate the wearer's back.
The free end of each of the third and fourth bands is secured to the
respective first or second band which it overlaps, and a first releasable
fastener is secured to one of the band pairs while a cooperating fastener
is secured to the other of the pairs. In this way, the inner belt can be
readily and easily secured about a wearer's waist such that it conforms
well thereto. Though described as being separate bands, it is noted that
the first and third bands, and the second and fourth bands in like manner,
could be formed from single pieces of elastic which are folded to form the
respective straight and angled bands.
The semi-rigid abdominal plate is desirably secured to the inner band such
that it will be centered over a wearer's abdomen when the back support is
worn. The abdominal plate is desirably sewn in between the inner belt
material and the releasable fastener secured thereon, which desirably is
of the hook and loop variety.
As a result of the combination of inner and outer belts, the outer one of
which is substantially inelastic, and the semi-rigid abdominal and
lumbosacral plates working in concert, the intraabdominal pressure of the
wearer is increased, and the lumbar region of the spine is desirably
stabilized. Further, the tendency of a wearer to bend at the spine is
discouraged, thereby encouraging proper biomechanics.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an environmental perspective view of a back support device of the
present invention, as it appears when worn by a person lifting a box;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a back support device according to the
present invention, as it appears when the inner and outer belts are
secured together to form a ring-shaped device for encircling a wearer's
waist;
FIG. 3 is a partially exploded rear perspective view of a back support
device according to the present invention as it appears when in extended
form;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of an end of the device illustrated in FIG. 3,
with a portion of fastener material removed to illustrate the position of
the abdominal plate;
FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the back support device illustrated
in FIG. 3; and
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a central portion of the back support device
illustrated in FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
With reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a back support 10
according to the present invention as it appears when being worn by a
person as he engages in the lifting of a box. As illustrated in FIGS. 2-6,
the back support 10 includes an elongate inner belt 12 which includes a
right band portion 12a and a left band portion 12b and which is sized to
extend circumferentially about the waist or lower torso area of a wearer
so as to fit the same closely and snugly. These band portions 12a, 12b are
preferably made from a stretchable elastic material which is adapted to
firmly fit around the wearer's lower torso or waist region.
In a preferred form of the invention, the right band portion 12a of the
inner belt 12 is made from a single piece of material which is folded
proximate its middle portion with the respective ends being offset from
each other to form upper and lower band portion sections 12a', 12a". The
left band portion 12b is desirably also produced in the same manner, to
form band portion sections 12b' and 12b". In this way, the inner band can
be made to taper from a wider back region to relatively narrower end
portions 20a, 20b. It will be noted, however, that other types of bands
could be used; for example, a single piece of tapered material could be
used or band portion sections 12a', 12a" and 12b', 12b" could be formed
from separate pieces of material and secured together in a conventional
manner.
The inner belt 12 also desirably includes a lumbosacral pad receiving means
proximate a central portion of the device. In a particularly preferred
form of the invention, the lumbosacral pad receiving means is in the form
of a pocket 14 which is located along a central portion of the elongate
inner belt 12. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 3,
the pocket 14 is formed from first and second pieces 14a, 14b of
substantially nonstretchable material (e.g. woven nylon), while portions
12a, 12b are formed from wide bands of elastic. For example, it has been
found that elastic bands approximately 4 to 6 inches in width perform well
in the instant invention, though it is noted that other widths can be used
within the scope of the invention. It is noted, however, that because the
pocket portion 14 of the inner belt 12 represents only a minor portion of
the overall belt, when this portion is made from a relatively
nonstretchable material, the net effect is that the inner band is
substantially elastic.
The pocket panels 14a, 14b are secured together and in turn secured to the
respective right and left band portions 12a, 12b along juncture regions 18
by conventional methods such as sewing. In a preferred form of the
invention, these juncture regions 18 are reinforced by way of webbing or
strapping material as illustrated. Also in a preferred form of the
invention the pocket 14 is adapted for easy removal of a lumbosacral
support pad 16. For example, the upper end of the pocket 14 can be open,
as illustrated. In this way, the type of support pad positioned within the
back support 10 can be varied depending upon the needs of the wearer in a
manner which will be discussed more fully herein.
Inner belt 12 also includes fastener means for securing the belt into a
closed ring as illustrated in FIG. 2. In a preferred form of the
invention, the securing means are located proximate the respective first
and second ends 20a, 20b of the inner belt 12. In a particularly preferred
form of the invention, the fastener means are of the hook and loop variety
with one portion of the fastener being secured to the first end of the
band 20a (as illustrated at 24 in FIG. 5) and a second piece of fastener
material being secured proximate the second end 20b of the inner belt 12.
It is noted, however, that other types of fasteners such as buckles, clips
or the like could be used within the scope of the invention.
The back support 10 also includes a substantially inelastic outer belt 26.
The inelastic outer belt 26 is desirably secured to the inner belt 12 in
overlying fashion, such that the outer belt is positioned over the inner
belt when the respective belts are secured about a wearer's waist. In a
preferred form of the invention, the inelastic outer belt 26 has first and
second halves 26a, 26b, one of which is secured to a third strap 26c. In a
particularly preferred form of the invention, the first and second
substantially inelastic outer belt halves 26a, 26b are each substantially
V-shaped and formed of a single piece of strap material which is folded
about its middle and the opposite ends of which are secured to the elastic
inner band 12 as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 3.
In the embodiment illustrated, one of the folded inelastic outer belt
halves extends over the other of the innerlastic outer belt halves
proximate the pocket 14 such that the V-shapes overlap, in order that a
greater amount of support is provided proximate the lumbar region of the
wearer. In this form of the invention, a loop lock 28 is looped through
each of the respective folded substantially V-shaped inelastic outer belt
halves 26a, 26b, and the third strap 26c is secured to one of these loop
locks. This strap 26c includes fastener means approximate its free end
such that the belt can be wrapped circumferentially around a wearer's
waist and the free end of strap 26c secured around a wearer's torso and
secured to the loop lock 28 of the strap member to which it was not
previously attached. In this form of the invention, the fasteners are
desirably first and second hook and loop patches 30, 32. Though
illustrated as being hook and loop patches, it is noted that any of a
variety of conventional fastener means can be used such as buckles, clasps
or the like; particularly preferred are fasteners which can be operated
with one hand.
A semi-rigid abdominal plate 34 is positioned on the back support device 10
such that it will overlie an abdominal region of a wearer when the device
is secured circumferentially about a wearer's waist. The abdominal plate
is desirably made from a thermoplastic sheet material, thermoplastic foam,
or a composite material, and desirably has a low profile in order to
enhance the comfort of the support device and provide a desirable
appearance. The material can be moldable, in order that a custom-molded
abdominal plate can be provided. In a preferred form of the invention, the
abdominal plate is about 0.02 to 0.5 inches thick. In a particularly
preferred form of the invention, the abdominal plate is made from a 0.06
inch thick piece of polyethylene sheet material. The abdominal plate is
also desirably semi-rigid, in order that it is capable of transferring
forces from the inelastic outer belt 26 and thus increasing the
intraabdominal pressure of the wearer. Further, it has been found that by
using a semi-rigid material rather than a totally rigid material, wear
comfort can be enhanced while a desirable level of performance is
attained.
The abdominal plate 34 preferably is sized to cover substantially the
entire abdominal region of a wearer, while avoiding contact with any of
the bony protuberances of the ilium (hip bones), in order to provide a
high degree of support (by maximizing the region where the intraabdominal
pressure is increased) while minimizing the likelihood for wearer
discomfort through contact of the abdominal plate with the wearer's bones.
It has been found that abdominal plates on the order of 4-6 inches wide
and 4-8 inches long, and more preferably about 5 inches wide by 5-7 inches
long, perform well in the instant invention.
The semi-rigid abdominal plate 34 can be secured to the back support device
10 in any conventional manner such as by sewing, gluing, positioning it
within a pocket, fastening it to either side of the inner belt, or the
like. In a preferred form of the invention, the abdominal plate is
positioned beneath the fastener material 22 located proximate the end 20b
of the inner belt 12, and is captured between the fastener material and
the inner belt when they are secured together.
As discussed previously, the lumbosacral pad 16 is also desirably provided
to provide effective contact between the inelastic belt and the lumbar
spine. The lumbosacral pad can be selected to provide additional benefits;
for example, it can be a heatable or coolable gel type pad, a
custom-molded pad, or a prefabricated non-customized pad. Various types of
thermoplastic sheet material, foam materials, and composites can be used
to produce the lumbosacral pad.
The back support device 10 also desirably includes a plurality of stays 36,
which are positioned on the support substantially perpendicular to a
longitudinal axis of the device, in order that they extend vertically when
the device is donned by a wearer. In a preferred form of the invention,
first and second stays are positioned on a central portion of the inner
band 12 (and in the embodiment with a lumbosacral pad receiving pocket 14,
on the pocket), while third and fourth stays are provided proximate the
junctures 18 of the pocket and the right and left band portions 12a, 12b.
The stays 36 provide additional support for the inner belt 12.
Also in a preferred form of the invention, various alignment accessories
can be provided. For example, in the illustrated embodiment a strap guide
40 is provided for aligning the strap 26c relative to the inner belt 12,
and mating alignment patches of hook and loop material 42, 44 are
provided, one on strap 26a and the other on the inner belt, to encourage
proper alignment of the strap. Also in a preferred form of the invention,
a strap handle 38 is provided on the end 20a of the inner belt; the wearer
can then position his or her hand in the handle to hold that end of the
inner belt 12 while it is secured with the opposite end 20b in order that
the belt can be secured snugly about the wearer's waist.
The materials used to manufacture each of the various parts of the back
support device 10 can be selected by the manufacture according to cost
considerations and the like. In a preferred form of the invention, the
pocket 14 is formed from a woven nylon nylon material, while nylon
seatbelt-type strapping material is used to form the inelastic belt 26.
The back support device is used as follows: an appropriate lumbosacral pad
16 is selected and secured within the pocket 14. The user then positions
inner belt 12 about his waist snugly, centering the lumbosacral pad 16 (if
provided) proximate the center of his back and the abdominal plate
proximate his abdomen, and fastens the mating fasteners to secure the belt
circumferentially about his waist. The user then secures the outer
inelastic belt 26 circumferentially about his waist, such that the belt
overlies the abdominal plate, and fastens the outer belt for a snug fit.
In this way, the forces from the outer belt are distributed by the
abdominal plate 34 to provide continuous and consistent pressure across
the abdominal region, and thus increase the wearer's intraabdominal
pressure. In addition, because of the location of the abdominal plate 34,
biomechanically improper bending at the waist is rendered uncomfortable;
thus the support device 10 encourages the wearer to bend properly (i.e. by
flexing at the hips and knees), thereby reducing the chance of injury due
to improper biomechanics.
In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred
embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed,
they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes
of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.
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